Race Relations at UMD
A few things have probably pushed me to write an LJ. The racial tensions on campus. Girls. And some prodding from italianali. So here we go:
Race Relations
THE INCIDENT
A week ago Thursday, I had dinner with sparkleqn84. It was great. Talked about a lot of cunnilingus. Had a strong ass Texas Tea. Add that to being overtired and I was feeling fan-fucking-tastic. I went to PR feeling like a million bucks. And when I returned, I took a nap and decided I was just too out of it to go to TNO.
It was around nap time I noticed the big ass party going on downstairs. It was definitely a Cape Verdean party. I could tell just by the voices. And I can tell the voices and speach patterns because I've been at this school for a very long time and had a bunch of CV roommates, like Adelino. In fact, I miss that kid. He was friendly and warm. And I helped him with his English papers. He was one respectable dude and I wish him the best of luck.... so much so that I just left him a facebook wall message.
Anyways. This party last week. It's bumpin. But I was mad tired, so I went to bed and BAM! I was under. I wake up again around 12midnight, and I rememeber now it's because I heard screaming. But sometimes on a party night, random shouting and screaming is not uncommon, so you phase it out.
If only I knew the screaming was legit.
Turns out this kid was accosted by the UMD police. From what I learned, that party downstairs was broken up, and someone was trampling the cop car outside. The cops didn't see it, but heard it. So they rush outside and there are a couple of drunk white kids and black kid with a girl. And they decide the black kid is responsible.
So one of the officers comes up from behind and shoves him. The guy turns around and flails his hands out and is like, "Why did you shove me?" The officer is telling him to get lost, get out of here. As he's holding his hands and backing up, another cop comes from behind and pepper sprays him. They then order him to the ground and arrest him for no reason. And of course they put him down hard. In the meantime, the girl is screaming "no" and begging them to stop. So when they subdue the guy, one cop goes up to her, shouting and cursing, and they spray her and arrest her and put her down hard too.
That's the quick and cold version. You can imagine the real life extended and heated version.
This must have taken place on the other side of the building, because I peeked out the window and didn't see anything. I went back to bed and had my weekend. Fast forward to Monday evening: Chris McCrimmons announces at the start of Senate that there will be a meeting at the Unity House at 7pm to talk about the incident that happened at Hickory.
THE MEETING
So most of Senate shows up to this meeting at the Unity House. I showed up first. Don't know why everyone else got there 10 minutes later, but whatev.
The meeting was hosted by this girl, Amanda Fiorino. She's a junior English major, made apparent by some of the things she said. Apart from getting the information of the incident, I was actually taking a close look at her. First because she was actually pretty cute. But second because it was clear as the glass of water I just drank that she was trying her damnedest to be orator of the year. At times, the way she said things was as though she was in a Theater Company play.
I got a kick out of analyzing her. The way I saw it, the meeting was all about her, and she gets a kick out of showing everyone that she's super passionate and that she's so wise, because her main advice was: "If you are confronted by the cops, remain calm and cooperate." Common sense, you'd think. I remember the way she kept asking, "How many people here know *this person*?" while doing the hand-raise motion. It's like, come on.
Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't believe she's passionate. But the pangs in her voice and her very precise body motions came off as really deliberate or rehearsed. Which is a long winded way of saying my gut says she's just acting, and actors like attention on themselves. She didn't lead people to this meeting. The incident did. But still. She was mad cute. Sexy eyebrows, yo.
Anyhow, the meeting went over the incident, interspersed with hottie Amanda repeatedly saying "Don't resist the cops. Get them where it hurts: the legal system." She also used the old "This place is about the students. If it weren't for us, they wouldn't have a job!" I chuckled under my breath at that, but not because she was silly for saying so. But only for the reason that I've heard that argument so many freaking times at this school that it's beyond a cliche. It's like saying, "We breath air, and without it, we would die!" It's like, yes, thank you for making it the Frederick Douglas Obvious House.
She also made a point of saying that this incident is recognized by both black and white students, which I do agree is important to point out. But at the same time, I am told by some fellow senators that as they entered the Unity House that night, someone was like, "Whats up with all the white students?"
I think if I hadn't been the one she looked at while she asked everyone if we knew the details, and I hadn't done the so-so hand motion which she cited, then she might not have taken 45 minutes to describe the incident. In which case, we'd have more time to talk about what's the next step. Of course, when it did come time to open discussion up, and get ideas from the crowd, of all people Brandon says it's a bad idea to talk about this now and should be done individually.
I believe that was wrong to suggest, because people think quicker in crowds and with 100 people to respond and build on your idea, you come that much closer to a sound action or solution. Hell, I was about to suggest something practical, but now I forgot it. And that was the meeting.
Now, I know this isn't an isolated incident. As a conduct board member (without going into specifics and greater detail), I can attest to the fact that I've heard cases where black students were treated roughly by the cops, or their party was broken up while a white party was next door still going on. My freshman year I saw the "DJ Buck Riot." It was a party with Hot 106's DJ Buck spinning. And some kid got maced. They broke the party up. And a fight erupted right on the quad in front of 3A (aka Elmwood). Hell, this semester started with a Sigma Phi Ro party ending in a big fight and cops everywhere. So I know first hand the cops have a history and perception of black students on this campus.
THE TENSION
On Wednesday, CAB ran its 4th Annual Ms. UMD. My friend Stephanie competed and had a really creative talent segment. Out of 11 girls, maybe 5 of them were black, which I think is truly awesome. I remember one girl, London, from orientation. She danced with me at the dance in front of 3B (aka Mapleridge). And by "dance" I mean "grind." And I doubt she'd remember me. But holy shit. Talk about a truly beautiful girl. And sweet, too. Ha, anyways.
The fan favorite was this girl Lakeshya (sp?), though. Like, half the crowd was wiling out for her by the end of the show. So when it came time to announce the winners, 2nd runner up was London, 1st runner up with this girl Amanda who is also black. At this point, I am told by fellow senators in attendence that someone was like, "Aw, yes, we might sweep it this year!" meaning all black winners.
So the crowd awaited the announcement of the winner. And the crowd literally was chanting "Keysha! Keysha! Keysha!" and not softly, but really booming. And the winner: Jennifer Selwick (sp?), who is the president of Phi Sigma Sigma, a white chic.
Instantly, half the the crowd boos and gets up and walks out.
Alison tells me that she was saying, "You're being rude! You're being rude!" to people as they got up and walked out. One girl turns to her and tells her to shut up-- a girl that used to be on senate, a girl who is in one of my facebook picture albums from international orientation. Also, other senators in attendance say that the UMD Dance Team was boo'ed because they were all white girls trying to dance to hip-hop songs.
Now, I actually would like to have seen an all black winners panel. That would have been cool. I can understand the disparity with that random student who said the sweep comment. But its important to see how he used the word "we." You have to realize the black experience. Now, I don't claim I can ever truly know the black experience, but I know of it.
Each black girl in that pageant didn't just represent herself; she represented all the students of color. Unfortunately that's just how it goes. It's a racial double standard, no doubt. But it's a cultural gap thing. For example, you can have a white girl up there who is a total ignorant bitch, and a white girl who is the sweetest and most intelligent girl you know. But irregardless if either one of those two hypothetical girls won, nobody would assume all other white people are similar to her. That's the difference between being a majority and minority.
Therefore, I find it okay for a student of color to express excitement that they might be actually represented in this slice of the public social sphere. But, it would be totally wrong if a white student said that.
There was a joke on Family Guy recently. They were playing a board game at Cleveland's house. It was the game of Life, except the black version. And Peter pulled a card and it was something bad like, "Government takes your money. Go to Jail," or whatever the heck. So he goes, "Jeez, can't you win at this game?" to which Cleveland replies, "No. You can only do a little better each day."
I think that sums up what I'm trying to express there.
THE SUMMATION
Let me say this: Race relations are a problem on campus, but not with me. It's like, I have black friends, Cape Verdean friends, Hatian friends, and Nigerian friends. But I'm not friends with every student of color, just like I'm not friends with all white people.
I feel like I personally face a special challenge now, because I am a student leader and I have a deep and established perspective, for having been here so long and experienced so much and met so many people. I feel like my audience that I need to convince is my fellow white students and try to be an agent of understanding. Maybe I will have a chance if we do a forum about this next semester.
For example, let me address one thing I've always heard:
There has always been the statement that the Unity House invites ALL students in. But every single white student for my entire career here has said the same thing: "If you walk in the Unity House, it's awkward. They stare at you and you're not welcomed."
But this is the thing.... You can't walk into an office and automatically make friends. That's like telling someone to go walk in the Torch office, or Senate office and you will now have friends. No. It doesn't work like that.
The Unity House is an office space, not a machine. You don't make a pal by virtue of passing through a door frame. You make friends the same way you usually do. The question becomes how do you normally make a new friend? Class? Student groups? From your dorm? Because my premiere friend making source is through OTHER friends I already have. If you want to make friends of different color and cultures specifically at the Unity House, you basically need a liason.
OTHER IMPLICATIONS
Diversity goes beyond black and latinos. Guess what: we are completely ignoring GENUINE cultural diversity. Yes, because whether of black, latin, white, or asian descent, we're all still AMERICAN. What about the international students? What about the 150 indian students we have? Or the 3 or 4 dozen Chinese and Taiwanese students? Or other amazing students like Skander, who is one of the most respectable and friendliest guys I've ever met. Why can't we celebrate their diversity? It makes me mad that we have nonsensical cultural hangups when we should be setting an example of true unity and celebrating one another.
Race Relations
THE INCIDENT
A week ago Thursday, I had dinner with sparkleqn84. It was great. Talked about a lot of cunnilingus. Had a strong ass Texas Tea. Add that to being overtired and I was feeling fan-fucking-tastic. I went to PR feeling like a million bucks. And when I returned, I took a nap and decided I was just too out of it to go to TNO.
It was around nap time I noticed the big ass party going on downstairs. It was definitely a Cape Verdean party. I could tell just by the voices. And I can tell the voices and speach patterns because I've been at this school for a very long time and had a bunch of CV roommates, like Adelino. In fact, I miss that kid. He was friendly and warm. And I helped him with his English papers. He was one respectable dude and I wish him the best of luck.... so much so that I just left him a facebook wall message.
Anyways. This party last week. It's bumpin. But I was mad tired, so I went to bed and BAM! I was under. I wake up again around 12midnight, and I rememeber now it's because I heard screaming. But sometimes on a party night, random shouting and screaming is not uncommon, so you phase it out.
If only I knew the screaming was legit.
Turns out this kid was accosted by the UMD police. From what I learned, that party downstairs was broken up, and someone was trampling the cop car outside. The cops didn't see it, but heard it. So they rush outside and there are a couple of drunk white kids and black kid with a girl. And they decide the black kid is responsible.
So one of the officers comes up from behind and shoves him. The guy turns around and flails his hands out and is like, "Why did you shove me?" The officer is telling him to get lost, get out of here. As he's holding his hands and backing up, another cop comes from behind and pepper sprays him. They then order him to the ground and arrest him for no reason. And of course they put him down hard. In the meantime, the girl is screaming "no" and begging them to stop. So when they subdue the guy, one cop goes up to her, shouting and cursing, and they spray her and arrest her and put her down hard too.
That's the quick and cold version. You can imagine the real life extended and heated version.
This must have taken place on the other side of the building, because I peeked out the window and didn't see anything. I went back to bed and had my weekend. Fast forward to Monday evening: Chris McCrimmons announces at the start of Senate that there will be a meeting at the Unity House at 7pm to talk about the incident that happened at Hickory.
THE MEETING
So most of Senate shows up to this meeting at the Unity House. I showed up first. Don't know why everyone else got there 10 minutes later, but whatev.
The meeting was hosted by this girl, Amanda Fiorino. She's a junior English major, made apparent by some of the things she said. Apart from getting the information of the incident, I was actually taking a close look at her. First because she was actually pretty cute. But second because it was clear as the glass of water I just drank that she was trying her damnedest to be orator of the year. At times, the way she said things was as though she was in a Theater Company play.
I got a kick out of analyzing her. The way I saw it, the meeting was all about her, and she gets a kick out of showing everyone that she's super passionate and that she's so wise, because her main advice was: "If you are confronted by the cops, remain calm and cooperate." Common sense, you'd think. I remember the way she kept asking, "How many people here know *this person*?" while doing the hand-raise motion. It's like, come on.
Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't believe she's passionate. But the pangs in her voice and her very precise body motions came off as really deliberate or rehearsed. Which is a long winded way of saying my gut says she's just acting, and actors like attention on themselves. She didn't lead people to this meeting. The incident did. But still. She was mad cute. Sexy eyebrows, yo.
Anyhow, the meeting went over the incident, interspersed with hottie Amanda repeatedly saying "Don't resist the cops. Get them where it hurts: the legal system." She also used the old "This place is about the students. If it weren't for us, they wouldn't have a job!" I chuckled under my breath at that, but not because she was silly for saying so. But only for the reason that I've heard that argument so many freaking times at this school that it's beyond a cliche. It's like saying, "We breath air, and without it, we would die!" It's like, yes, thank you for making it the Frederick Douglas Obvious House.
She also made a point of saying that this incident is recognized by both black and white students, which I do agree is important to point out. But at the same time, I am told by some fellow senators that as they entered the Unity House that night, someone was like, "Whats up with all the white students?"
I think if I hadn't been the one she looked at while she asked everyone if we knew the details, and I hadn't done the so-so hand motion which she cited, then she might not have taken 45 minutes to describe the incident. In which case, we'd have more time to talk about what's the next step. Of course, when it did come time to open discussion up, and get ideas from the crowd, of all people Brandon says it's a bad idea to talk about this now and should be done individually.
I believe that was wrong to suggest, because people think quicker in crowds and with 100 people to respond and build on your idea, you come that much closer to a sound action or solution. Hell, I was about to suggest something practical, but now I forgot it. And that was the meeting.
Now, I know this isn't an isolated incident. As a conduct board member (without going into specifics and greater detail), I can attest to the fact that I've heard cases where black students were treated roughly by the cops, or their party was broken up while a white party was next door still going on. My freshman year I saw the "DJ Buck Riot." It was a party with Hot 106's DJ Buck spinning. And some kid got maced. They broke the party up. And a fight erupted right on the quad in front of 3A (aka Elmwood). Hell, this semester started with a Sigma Phi Ro party ending in a big fight and cops everywhere. So I know first hand the cops have a history and perception of black students on this campus.
THE TENSION
On Wednesday, CAB ran its 4th Annual Ms. UMD. My friend Stephanie competed and had a really creative talent segment. Out of 11 girls, maybe 5 of them were black, which I think is truly awesome. I remember one girl, London, from orientation. She danced with me at the dance in front of 3B (aka Mapleridge). And by "dance" I mean "grind." And I doubt she'd remember me. But holy shit. Talk about a truly beautiful girl. And sweet, too. Ha, anyways.
The fan favorite was this girl Lakeshya (sp?), though. Like, half the crowd was wiling out for her by the end of the show. So when it came time to announce the winners, 2nd runner up was London, 1st runner up with this girl Amanda who is also black. At this point, I am told by fellow senators in attendence that someone was like, "Aw, yes, we might sweep it this year!" meaning all black winners.
So the crowd awaited the announcement of the winner. And the crowd literally was chanting "Keysha! Keysha! Keysha!" and not softly, but really booming. And the winner: Jennifer Selwick (sp?), who is the president of Phi Sigma Sigma, a white chic.
Instantly, half the the crowd boos and gets up and walks out.
Alison tells me that she was saying, "You're being rude! You're being rude!" to people as they got up and walked out. One girl turns to her and tells her to shut up-- a girl that used to be on senate, a girl who is in one of my facebook picture albums from international orientation. Also, other senators in attendance say that the UMD Dance Team was boo'ed because they were all white girls trying to dance to hip-hop songs.
Now, I actually would like to have seen an all black winners panel. That would have been cool. I can understand the disparity with that random student who said the sweep comment. But its important to see how he used the word "we." You have to realize the black experience. Now, I don't claim I can ever truly know the black experience, but I know of it.
Each black girl in that pageant didn't just represent herself; she represented all the students of color. Unfortunately that's just how it goes. It's a racial double standard, no doubt. But it's a cultural gap thing. For example, you can have a white girl up there who is a total ignorant bitch, and a white girl who is the sweetest and most intelligent girl you know. But irregardless if either one of those two hypothetical girls won, nobody would assume all other white people are similar to her. That's the difference between being a majority and minority.
Therefore, I find it okay for a student of color to express excitement that they might be actually represented in this slice of the public social sphere. But, it would be totally wrong if a white student said that.
There was a joke on Family Guy recently. They were playing a board game at Cleveland's house. It was the game of Life, except the black version. And Peter pulled a card and it was something bad like, "Government takes your money. Go to Jail," or whatever the heck. So he goes, "Jeez, can't you win at this game?" to which Cleveland replies, "No. You can only do a little better each day."
I think that sums up what I'm trying to express there.
THE SUMMATION
Let me say this: Race relations are a problem on campus, but not with me. It's like, I have black friends, Cape Verdean friends, Hatian friends, and Nigerian friends. But I'm not friends with every student of color, just like I'm not friends with all white people.
I feel like I personally face a special challenge now, because I am a student leader and I have a deep and established perspective, for having been here so long and experienced so much and met so many people. I feel like my audience that I need to convince is my fellow white students and try to be an agent of understanding. Maybe I will have a chance if we do a forum about this next semester.
For example, let me address one thing I've always heard:
There has always been the statement that the Unity House invites ALL students in. But every single white student for my entire career here has said the same thing: "If you walk in the Unity House, it's awkward. They stare at you and you're not welcomed."
But this is the thing.... You can't walk into an office and automatically make friends. That's like telling someone to go walk in the Torch office, or Senate office and you will now have friends. No. It doesn't work like that.
The Unity House is an office space, not a machine. You don't make a pal by virtue of passing through a door frame. You make friends the same way you usually do. The question becomes how do you normally make a new friend? Class? Student groups? From your dorm? Because my premiere friend making source is through OTHER friends I already have. If you want to make friends of different color and cultures specifically at the Unity House, you basically need a liason.
OTHER IMPLICATIONS
Diversity goes beyond black and latinos. Guess what: we are completely ignoring GENUINE cultural diversity. Yes, because whether of black, latin, white, or asian descent, we're all still AMERICAN. What about the international students? What about the 150 indian students we have? Or the 3 or 4 dozen Chinese and Taiwanese students? Or other amazing students like Skander, who is one of the most respectable and friendliest guys I've ever met. Why can't we celebrate their diversity? It makes me mad that we have nonsensical cultural hangups when we should be setting an example of true unity and celebrating one another.